Food will be provided, but only the basics like burgers, veggies, and chicken. If you want something else, feel free to bring it. Oh, and if you’re over 21, bring the booze (just don’t drive afterwards)

Suspensions/Pullings – The space is there, just need some practitioners to sign on and bring equipment.

And last but not least… BOUNCY CASTLES!!! SLIP’N'SLIDES!!! AND MORE!!!

BMEtv will also be set up interviewing people, so if you’re interested, just let Rachel know in the event forum.

BMEFest is going to be a big family reunion, a time to get caught up with some old friends, and a place to make new ones. The party starts on Saturday July 2nd, and goes until Monday night.

And because this is a family reunion, here’s a tattoo celebrating family by Sagie from Walk the Line Tattoo Parlour in Sweden.

The band will be signing copies of their latest album Laugh Now, Laugh Later with MILLER who designed the album’s artwork. Meet the band and the artist, get your copy of the CD, vinyl and artwork signed and enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Face To Face show that night at the Best Buy Theater!

Kings Ave Tattoo NYC is located at 188 Bowery (at Spring Street) in New York City. This event starts at 5pm.

Just wanted to share with everyone a bit of news regarding BMEshop, as well as this year’s BME New Year’s Eve party.

First up, BMEshop is currently in the process of moving. From Tuesday November 16th until Saturday November 20th, we will be driving all the way across country. From Sunday November 21st until Tuesday November 23rd, we will be unpacking and updating our inventory. We may be able to ship out some orders during that time but it is not guaranteed. From Wednesday November 24th until Sunday November 28th BMEshop will not be shipping orders so that we may celebrate Thanksgiving with our families.

BMEshop will remain available to take orders during this time but orders will not be able to be shipped until Monday November 29th. All orders placed during the period of Tuesday November 16th until Sunday November 28th, will be shipped on Monday November 29th.

Please remember that all proceeds from BMEshop go directly to supporting BME. Thank you for your support!

Also, this year BME is having a New Year’s Eve party/BBQ! It’ll be taking place at the new BME headquarters just outside of Richmond, VA. The event page has all the details, including directions, as well as information regarding food, possible suspensions, and all sorts of activities. We’ll also be looking to interview people to feature on ModBlog in the coming year, so if you’re interested just let us know.

So if you don’t have plans yet, head on over to the event page to get all the details. If you do have plans, cancel them and come to the BBQ instead!

A few months agoI posted about a show taking place in October that was looking for art from tattoo artists to put up for auction. The purpose of the auction is to raise money for a local Toronto charity that provides free and accessible art programs to children. Well, a large number of artist heeded the call, and I was able to get a few pictures to share with you of some of the artwork that will be on display this weekend.

The show itself is being put on by the boys from Seven Crowns Tattoo in Toronto, so if you’re in town this weekend, you should swing on by. The show is one night only, and admission is free.

Now, of course, if you’re going to be bidding on some art, it helps if you know what it is you’re bidding on. Well just click the read more button to see a few samples from the many talented artists from Canada and around the world.

If you’re in Europe next week, and can make it over to Berlin, you’ll have the opportunity to check out the BMXnet conference that’s happening from the 16th to the 19th. You can get the details about the conference at the BMXnet website. There you’ll find out the times and locations of all the lectures and workshops taking place over the course of the weekend.

Tattoo Hollywood and Known Gallery are also hosting a once in a lifetime opportunity to view works by Kaname Ozuma and Horiyoshi III, appropriately titled: Irezumi Bijin. If you were at the Tattoo Hollywood convention last week you had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the works by these brilliant artists. Tomorrow night the show begins and will be running until Sept. 18th. I urge you to do whatever is in your power to get to Los Angeles and see this show before it is gone for good.

Born in Niigata, Japan in 1939, Ozuma Kaname began studying traditional Japanese painting under his uncle, artist Sakai Soushi, from a young age. Moving to Tokyo at the age of 18, he trained as an art dealer while working at a printing company. Afterwards, he moved on to the publishing industry where he illustrated tattoos. The majority of his work continues to be tattoo-related along with other traditional Japanese themes; and often serves as a source of inspiration for master tattooist Horiyoshi III, whose clients in turn, are often depicted in Ozuma’s paintings.

Horiyoshi III

Born Yoshihito Nakano in 1946, Horiyoshi III is the second tattooist to be bestowed the honorific title—the tattooist affixation “Hori” means engrave—in a line started by his master, the legendary tattoo artist Yoshitsugu Muramatsu, or Shodai Horiyoshi of Yokohama (Muramatsu went on to dub his son Horiyoshi II, and later Nakano was named Horiyoshi III). His images are classical Japanese woodblock print motifs such as the phoenix, dragon, snakes, tigers, samurai warriors, Buddhist gods to name a few as well as background images of waves, clouds and various flowers. Among Horiyoshi III’s published works are 36 Ghosts, 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, 100 Demons, and The Namakubi (severed heads), 100 Dragons and 58 Warriors. Horiyoshi’s artistic genius and generosity of spirit have had a defining impact on the world of tattooing, taking it to new levels in this new century.

I’m definitely trying to put plans together to put myself on the road again sometime before the show ends just so I can check it out. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you there.

Oh hey! Just dropping in with a quick post to let you all know what a great time we’re having at Tattoo Hollywood! If you’re in the Los Angeles area, come on out. We’re open tonight until midnight and Sunday from noon until 8pm. Check out the amazing artists, book an appointment to get some ink and say hi to friends!

These are a couple of photos that I took earlier, we’ll have a more official post with contest winners and lots more photos coming up.

Clark North hard at work

Japan's very own Horiren tattooing one of BME's very own, Katie McShady

Did you guys know that BME has it’s very own convention? Well it does, and it’s going on right now!!

Tattoo Hollywood is this weekend. The flyer below will give you the address and the dates (today through sunday) as well as a brief rundown of some of the many artists appearing this weekend. To get a bigger list of the artists attending, check out the full listings on the Tattoo Hollywood website.

If you’re going to be in the area and are thinking of attending, here’s a bit of info that will probably be helpful:

First off, the show is family friendly. Kids are free with adult admission.

As many ModBlog readers know, I like to showcase events that contribute to a charity in some form or another. It also helps if they are related to the mod community in some fashion. I received the following in my inbox over the weekend and I thought it would be good to share.

We are excited to inform you of our upcoming art show, El Arte de la Muerta (Art of the Dead). Held in the growing community of midtown Toronto, this show will be a gathering of some of the most talented tattoo artists Canada wide and tattoo enthusiasts in the nation. While celebrating the rich culture and vibrancy of the Day of the Dead, we also challenge the tattoo community at large in an effort to raise money for Art City St. James, a program dedicated to bringing art into the lives of underprivileged and troubled youth.

I know that when these guys host an art show, it’s not something to be missed. As it stands, they’re still looking for donations of artworks, so if you’re a tattoo artist interested in creating something to help out a good cause, get in touch with George at Seven Crowns Tattoo in Toronto (416 – 322 – 7696).

“Grilling, broiling, barbecuing – whatever you want to call it – is an art, not just a matter of building a pyre and throwing on a piece of meat as a sacrifice to the gods of the stomach.” James Beard, ‘Beard on Food’ (1974)

So rumor has it that SoCal BME members have been getting together once a year for the past decade to enjoy an afternoon around the grill. Another rumor floating around is that this year’s BBQ is happening THIS WEEKEND!

So whether you’re a long time BME vet, or brand new to the community, you’re more than welcome to stop by Presidio Park in San Diego this saturday and partake in the festivities.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop Midian2000 or Shaman a line on IAM, Facebook, or e-mail.

It’s too bad I won’t be in town. I would have loved to have the chance to cook up another Bacon Explosion for people.